No current GLP-1 label lists alcohol use as an approved use, so prescribing one for it would be off-label. Hendershot et al. (Semaglutide): A 9-week Phase 2 trial of low doses in 48 people not seeking treatment. Semaglutide reduced how much alcohol they drank in a lab task, the main measure, and also drinks on drinking days and craving, but not average drinks per day or the number of drinking days. The authors call for larger trials. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 23 trials of these medicines on it: 2 with posted results and 8 recruiting now.
Read from the registry and PubMed every day. The newest update here is Nov 4, 2026.
Each read in the paper's abstract on Nov 6, 2026. Trials differ in who took part and how long they ran.
Semaglutide · 48 people · Mixed · Placebo-controlled randomized trial
A 9-week Phase 2 trial of low doses in 48 people not seeking treatment. Semaglutide reduced how much alcohol they drank in a lab task, the main measure, and also drinks on drinking days and craving, but not average drinks per day or the number of drinking days. The authors call for larger trials.
Exenatide · 127 people · No clear benefit · Placebo-controlled randomized trial
Exenatide did not significantly reduce heavy drinking days against placebo.
A trial counts when the registry's conditions or title name this, and some study a related question, such as insulin sensitivity in people with the condition. A registered trial shows a question being asked, not that the answer is yes.
| Medicine | Trials | Posted results | Recruiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide | 12 | 1 | 3 |
| Tirzepatide | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| Exenatide | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Mazdutide | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Pemvidutide | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Latest phases and largest trials first. Each result is the first primary outcome as its sponsor posted it to the registry, which is not peer review.
| Trial | Medicine | Phase | People | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT05520775Semaglutide for Alcohol Use Disorder | Semaglutide | Phase 2 | 48 | Change in Alcohol Consumed (grams), Baseline (Week 0) to post-medication (Week 8). Semaglutide: -32.72; Sham/Placebo: -6.95. |
| NCT03645408The Effects of Exenatide, a GLP-1 Agonist, on Alcohol Self-Administration in Heavy Drinkers | Exenatide | Phase 1 | 8 | Alcohol Consumption (standard drink units (SDUs)), 2 hours. Exenatide Injection: 0.93; Sham Injection (Placebo): 2.78. |
The registry page names each site and who can enroll. Ask your clinician before joining one.
| Trial | Medicine | Phase | Expected to finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cessation or Reduction of Alcohol Consumption in Veterans: A Randomized Controlled Trial for Alcohol Use Disorder (CRAVE) | Semaglutide | Phase 3 | Mar 30, 2030 |
| Tirzepatide in MetALD | Tirzepatide | Phase 2 | Jul 30, 2027 |
| Effects of Tirzepatide on Alcohol Intake in Patients Diagnosed With Schizophrenia and Alcohol Use Disorder | Tirzepatide | Phase 2 | Dec 31, 2028 |
| Tirzepatide for Alcohol Use Disorder | Tirzepatide | Phase 2 | Aug 31, 2026 |
| Off-Label Medications for Alcohol Use Disorder Among Patients With HIV: Pilot Study 3 Semaglutide | Semaglutide | Phase 2 | Jun 30, 2027 |
| Study of Tirzepatide for Recovery and Alcohol Use Management | Tirzepatide | Phase 2 | Jul 1, 2027 |
| Tirzepatide s Dopaminergic Effects in Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) | Tirzepatide | Phase 1 | Dec 31, 2031 |
| Semaglutide Dose Effects on Metabolic and Stress Hormone, Craving and Alcohol Use Outcomes | Semaglutide | Phase 1 | Oct 31, 2031 |
Randomized trial · Am J Psychiatry · Jul 29, 2026 · Schacht JP et al. · cited by 7
Systematic review · J Clin Med · Jun 19, 2026 · Altami IK et al.
Randomized trial · Lancet · May 1, 2026 · Klausen MK et al. · cited by 20
Meta-analysis · Diabetol Metab Syndr · Jan 8, 2026 · Nasrollahizadeh A et al. · cited by 4
Meta-analysis · EClinicalMedicine · Nov 14, 2025 · Eshraghi R et al. · cited by 3
Systematic review · Alcohol Alcohol · Nov 1, 2025 · Patel S et al.
Listed from Europe PMC as published, newest first. A listing here is not a judgement of a study's quality or a recommendation.
Written from each source's own record as it changes. Every change on GLPcompare
Hendershot et al. (Semaglutide, 48 people): A 9-week Phase 2 trial of low doses in 48 people not seeking treatment. Semaglutide reduced how much alcohol they drank in a lab task, the main measure, and also drinks on drinking days and craving, but not average drinks per day or the number of drinking days. The authors call for larger trials.
Not in any current label we read. A prescriber can still use a medicine off-label, but insurance often limits coverage to approved uses, so ask your plan.
Semaglutide, with 12 registered trials on it, then Tirzepatide with 6. More trials do not mean better results: read what each posted.
8 trials are recruiting on ClinicalTrials.gov now, listed below with their registry pages, which name each site and who can enroll.